Struggling with printing pleasing highlights? Using these tips, your highlight issues can fade to zero! Prepress & Software Your press can only print as good as the artwork it’s given, so it’s only fitting that prepress plays a key role in improving highlight quality. While there are some tricks to provide an illusion of smooth … Read More...
Category Archives: Platemaking
As noted in Part One of this technical discussion, bringing prepress and platemaking in-house may offer many financial and productivity advantages. Of course there is also the simple appeal of having control of changes and turn-around times that can drive a desire for change. Working with your suppliers, it is important to carefully consider key … Read More...
Platemaking has evolved quite a bit over the past 20 years. It is no longer an art only to be completed by skilled craftsmen, but rather a "science" that is easily controlled and quick to learn. Even so, many printers are still using trade shops to complete all of their prepress and platemaking work. In … Read More...
Print geeks, dot worshippers, nerds... call us what you will, but APR's Technical Solutions Group (TSG) is asking questions and finding answers to bring new ideas to current flexo processes. You'll see some our recent blog posts are centered around these research projects. During the week of June 5th, the TSG gathered at APR's Glendale … Read More...
TSG Research Project:Flat-Top Dot Exposure Under Water General Description Is there anything else involved or critical to creating a flat top dot other than removing O2 from the exposure process? What happens when exposed under water? Since oxygen molecules are already bonded to hydrogen, we do not expect O2 inhibition (dot sharpening) to occur. Equipment, … Read More...
Scope of Test Determine if UVA lamp light energy (mW/cm2 or Joules) diminishes as temperature continues to rise outside the optimal operating parameters. According to most UV lamp manufacturers the optimal operating temperature for UVA lamps is 108ºF. At 120ºF it will diminish by 20% and at 140ºF it will diminish by 30%. This is … Read More...
Based on recent thermal processing equipment optimization, we looked to identify strengths and limitations of some thermal plate processing equipment. Equipment, Material and Measurement Devices Used Thermal Plate Processor G&J Flex-N-One 260 Esko CDI (HD Flexo) ITP-M – 0.045 Micrometer Troika AniCam (Flexo Plate QC) Process Description Verify thermal processing reaches back exposure, determining relief. … Read More...
EskoWorld 2017 Each year, we look forward to attending EskoWorld (Esko's user conference) to share ideas and bring our customers news of the latest innovations! This year didn't disappoint! There are many new features coming soon that will directly benefit the flexographic market, specifically those making plates. Post-RIP Scum Dot Removal Scum dots are small image … Read More...
Our Technical Solutions Group (TSG) is often contacted by photopolymer platemakers reporting an inconsistent floor. Typically, they measure the lamp output with a UV-A meter and see that the exposure bed is fairly consistent. They don't understand why early in the day things seem to be fine, but as several exposure cycles are performed, the … Read More...
While safety is always at the top of our customer's priority list, often OSHA rules and regulations are not so clear-cut to some of our customer's or at least the individuals working in the production environment. Generally speaking it is APR's focus to provide new innovative ideas and products to make the printers life easier, more … Read More...